WTCH 24 - Countless historical results and a new superpower emerged

BUDAPEST, Hungary, Dec. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Every World Teqball Championships is unique in some way, and the 2024 edition was no different. The last one was the most colorful with a record number of participating countries, and this year, we had the most athletes signing up for the event, topping the previous peak set in 2023. The sport is growing, and in Ho Chi Minh City, many countries won their first medals and even more achieved historical results in different categories, proving the expansion is not just there in numbers, but in success, too.

For example, FITEQ  crowned teqball's first Queen from Asia in Thailand's Jutatip Kuntatong, and now we have four individual women champions from four different continents.

Also, it happened for the first time that two Asian units made the top four in a category as Thais Jirati Chanliang/Sorrasak Thaosiri clashed with India's Declan Gonsalves/Anas Beg in the men's doubles. The latter team also secured the first-ever medal for India, but there were countless "firsts" throughout the tournament.

Nanna Lind Kristensen/Mira Faeno Dahlmann earned the first medal for Denmark by winning a bronze in the women's double. Three-time doubles world champion Nikola Mitro became the first individual medallist for Serbia after finishing second. Also, he became the first player ever to have three medals in three different categories in the history of World Teqball Championships, but a day later, Romanian Apor Gyorgydeak and Polish Adrian Duszak joined him. Boonkoom Tipwong was not only the first individual male player for Thailand, but for Asia who stood on the podium in the category. Amelie Julian/Hugo Rabeux became the first medal-winners in doubles for France.

But back to the women's singles, where Kuntatong played an amazing three-set final against Rafaella Fontes (BRA), a rematch of last year's gold medal game. This time, the Thai managed to complete the comeback and won in three close sets, and the first one was the only one that she lost in the tournament. Paulina Lezak and Kinga Barabasi finished third, with the Polish getting her second medal after a silver in 2021, while the Romanian went back-to-back with bronzes.

Final, women's singles

Jutatip Kuntatong (THA)–Rafaella Fontes Gimenez (BRA) 2:1 (-10, 10, 9)

„I am thrilled to win the gold medal for Thailand and it is great that I could win this year after losing last year. Rafaella [Fontes] is an incredible player, it was a tough battle against her, but it always is" - said Kuntatong after the final.

In the men's singles, Apor Gyorgydeak took his throne back from Adrian Duszak, so now the Romanian is a two-time world champion. What is more impressive is that he remained undefeated in singles in 2024, going 56-0. The aforementioned Mitro went on an incredible run, eliminating 3-time singles world champ Adam Blazsovics (HUN) in the quarterfinals, then upset Duszak in the semifinal, but had no answer to Gyorgydeak's brilliance. Duszak claimed his fourth bronze medal (third in singles), and we already noted what Tipwong achieved in this category.

Final, men's singles

Apor Gyorgydeak (ROU)–Nikola Mitro (SRB) 2:0 (4, 2)

„I would like to thank my family, my team and my staff who helped me throughout this journey. I felt pretty good during the final, never lost focus and I think everybody could see that. I gave 110% and I'm happy to be able to play in front of a full house. I was disappointed after losing to Adrian [Duszak] last year, but that loss made me even hungrier. I think my results in 2024 speak for themselves, I have a 56-game winning streak so it is great to end this season on a high note in singles" - said Gyorgydeak with his second gold medal hanging in his neck.

In the women's doubles, reigning champions Kuntatong/Suphawadi Wongkhamchan (THA) were as dominant as they always are for the entire event, but in the final, Krisztina Acs and Petra Pechy (who won silver in this category last year and filled in for the suspended Gabriella Kota this time) challenged them as much as possible. The Hungarians did their best in both sets, leading 9:8 in the first and being tied at 8 in the second, but the Thais maintained focus and edged out the Europeans on both occasions.

Denmark's Nanna Lind Kristensen/Mira Faeno Dahlmann earned the first medal for their country with their bronze, while Brazil's Ester Viana Mendes/Vania Moraes da Cruz repeated their 3rd-place finish.

Final, women's doubles

Jutatip Kuntatong/Suphawadi Wongkhamchan (THA)–Krisztina Acs/Petra Pechy (HUN) 2:0 (9, 9)

"My goal was to win two gold medals here and I did it, so I am very happy. We knew that the Hungarian team was going to be very dangerous, so we analyzed their style and created a gameplan against them and prepared a lot" - said the now-three-time world champion Jutatip Kuntatong.

In the men's doubles, Jirati Chanliang and Sorrasak Thaosiri replaced last year's bronze medallists Tipwong/Phakpong Dejaroen for Thailand. It could not have ended better for them, as they confidently punched their tickets into the semifinals, where they ended the historic run of Gonsalves/Beg from India, who eventually won bronze. In the other bracket, defending champions Csaba Banyik/Balazs Katz (HUN) were dethroned in the semifinal by Duszak/Marek Pokwap, who previously knocked out 2023 runner-ups Matheus Ferraz/Rodrigo Bento Medeiros (BRA). The gold match was as tight as it gets, and after all, the Thais emerged victorious, conquering another category.

Final, men's doubles

Adrian Duszak/Marek Pokwap (POL)–Jirati Chanliang/Sorrasak Thaosiri (THA) 1:2 (-10, 9, -9)

"We were already proud to be here and represent Thailand; now we are world champions. The final was very tough, Poland has an incredible team so we talked a lot about our strategy. We knew it would take hard work to beat them in the gold medal game" - said Chanliang and Thaosiri after winning the first gold medal for Thailand in the men's doubles.

In the mixed doubles, 2023 world champions Wongkhamchan/Dejaroen successfully defended their title, but it did not go so smoothly. Newly formed Hungarian unit Acs/Katz were two points away from taking the belt from them in the third set of the final, but the champs regrouped and held onto their crowns. The French team of Amelie Julian/Hugo Rabeux shared the 3rd place with Barabasi/Gyorgydeak (ROU).

Final, mixed doubles
Krisztina Acs/Balazs Katz (HUN)–Suphawadi Wongkhamchan/Phakpong Dejaroen (THA) 2:1 (10, -4, -10)

„We won three gold medals today and four on the weekend, it is amazing! We ended this World Championships with five medals, so we are very happy. This final was very hard for us, the Hungarian team is so strong!" - said the winning duo after the ceremonies. 

This World Championships is going to go down in history as a milestone for not only some nations, but for the sport as it took another step forward in trying to be as worldwide as possible. As for Vietnam, the country proved to be a great host with consecutive full-house days. To help the sport grow even bigger in Vietnam, FITEQ donated 1000 Teqball tables and a comprehensive sports education plan to Ho Chi Minh City and the country.

Final medal table:

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